Preventing bullying

Friday

Oct 22, 2010 at 2:00 AM

Bullying is a critical issue in schools throughout the country, Barnstable Schools included. In keeping with anti-bullying legislation passed by the Commonwealth in May, the school district recently unveiled the first draft of its new bullying prevention/intervention plan.

Kathleen Szmit

Barnstable schools unveil anti-bullying policies

Bullying is a critical issue in schools throughout the country, Barnstable Schools included. In keeping with anti-bullying legislation passed by the Commonwealth in May, the school district recently unveiled the first draft of its new bullying prevention/intervention plan. In a presentation during the Oct. 12 school committee meeting, Gina Hurley, the district’s director of student services, offered committee members and Supt. Dr. Patricia Grenier an overview of the plan. Created by Hurley with the assistance of a committee that included school officials and administrators, the plan works to meet the requirements of the new state law while maintaining district rules and privacy laws, as well. Making the plan understandable to students at every grade level, as well as their parents and educators, is also critical. “We’re trying to fulfill the requirements of the state and the new law, while trying to make it ‘user friendly’ so that parents and students understand the plan,” Hurley said. Key requirements of the state law include a bullying prevention and intervention plan for each district, Internet safety, classroom instruction on bullying prevention, professional development for staff, and provisions for students with disabilities. Hurley said that the curriculum piece was challenging due to Department of Elementary and Secondary Education requirements that it be evidence-based. “There is not a lot of evidence-based bullying prevention curriculum out there,” Hurley said. “We were ahead of the curve, very fortunate that we’re using Second Step and Steps to Respect. DESE has already approved those programs as evidence-based.” Second Step and Steps to Respect, programs that address bullying and violent behavior, are used in the district’s elementary schools. Hurley said the committee is in the process of looking into curriculum for the higher grades. Hurley said that another area of concern in the plan involves reporting and responding, and documentation of issues. Though not included in the overall draft of the plan (online at www.barnstable.k12.ma.us), Hurley noted that there is an addendum for what Hurley called a “step-by-step” process for bullying investigation. That process, said Hurley, differs with each situation at each grade level, and therefore wasn’t included in the inaugural draft. “There is a lot of variability with particular cases. It’s sort of like an ‘if this, then that’ rubric of sorts,” Hurley said. “So we do have…a process of interviewing, it just was not part of the plan.” Discipline practices are also not included because variability in situations is again a factor, but Hurley said that every student handbook has sections on discipline. “When you put discipline in a format like this, it doesn’t lend itself to leeway for the principals,” Hurley said, again stressing that every situation is unique. Committee member Pat McDonald expressed his feeling that the issue of bullying goes beyond the district’s policy of site-based management, and stressed a need for a policy followed district-wide. “While we may want to leave a lot of discretion in the hands of each individual school, in my opinion, this is a big enough issue that I don’t think we want to do that,” he said. McDonald also encouraged the district to take what some might consider a hard line in regards to discipline, even if it might mean overstepping the district’s boundaries. “I would much rather end up in court for overstepping [boundaries], than end up a funeral for not,” he said. Another area of concern to Hurley and the district’s attorney Bill Butler is the way the state has suggested the handling of documentation. “How we document all of this is challenging, and the documentation form the DESE has put out as their model form has caused both attorney Butler and myself to wonder if it violates some of the student record regulations,” Hurley said. According to Hurley, Butler was in the process of conducting research into the matter in the hopes of clarification. “We don’t want to create something that’s going to fulfill this law and violate students’ rights in another law,” she said. Hurley said that in regards to record keeping, she’s tried to convince principals not to begin a school year on a clean slate with students prone to bullying. “I’m a proponent of keeping records and moving them along,” she said. “If we go back to the intent of this law, it is to make sure that we have a record of the behavior, whether you’re the target or the aggressor.” Hurley said that of importance is finding a balance between keeping all principals and school administrators informed of behavioral history while maintaining student rights in accordance with privacy laws. Prior to the presentation of the plan, several professional development workshops were held in compliance with the state legislation, including a parent workshop followed by an in-school training with anti-bullying specialist Stan Davis. A parent forum was held Oct. 14 to review the draft of the plan as well. The finalized plan must be submitted to the DESE by Dec. 31.

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